Box-fastener.



" PATENTED AUG. 25, 1903.

- 0. M. JOHNSON. BOX FASTBNER.

APPLICATION IILBD- MAY 11', 1903.

no MODEL.

UNITED STATES Patented August 25, 1903.

PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES MANFIELD JOHNSON, OF MILFVAUKEE, WISCONSIN, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO \VILLIAM F. OOAKLEY, CHARLES H. COAKLEY, AND STEPHEN S. ORAMER, OF MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN.

BOx -FAsTENER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 737,411, dated August 25, 1903.

Application filed May 11, 1903 Serial No. 156,616. (No model.)

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that 1, CHARLES MANEIELD JOHNSON, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Milwaukee, in the county of Milwaukee and State of Wisconsin,have invented certain newand usefullmprovements in Box- Fasteners; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof.

My invention has for its object to provide simple economical box-fasteners organized with especial reference to the utilization of metallic seals in connection therewith, said invention consisting in certain peculiarities of construction and combination of parts hereinafter particularly set forth with reference to the accompanying drawings and subsequently claimed.

Figure 1 of the drawings represents a plan view of a box-fastener in accordance with my invention, partly broken away; and Figs. 2 and 3 section views of a fragment of a box and my improved fastener in connection therewith, Fig. 2 being indicated by line 2 2 in Fig. 3.

Referring by letter to the drawings, A indicates a dished shell having an upper annular, or for the most part annular, horizontal flange I), provided at intervals thereof with openings through which to drive screws or nails. The shell A is preferably extended above the flange b to form a vertical annular stay-wall c, as herein shown. The lower portion of the shell is shown as being a central triangular rib d between apertures in said shell. One edge of the triangular rib is downward on a horizontal plane, and a side of said rib is vertically slabbed. If the shell be of sheet metal and made by means of dies, the sides of the lower triangular rib will be formed by the metal struck out to make the apertures in said shell parallel to the rib on opposite sides of the same. The shell A is intended for attachment by nails or screws 6 to the under side of a box-lid B in register with an opening in the same, and if said shell be one having an upper wall extension 0 this extension will be fitted in said opening to stiffen said lid and prevent its splitting.

Made fast on the inner side of a box-wall is caught.

0 are lower right-angle flanges f of parallel plates D E, preferably riveted together at their lower ends, said flanges being provided with apertures through which to drive the fastening nails or screws g for the bracket formed by the union of said plates. The plates are of spring-steel and reduced in width above their flanges, the set of i said plates being such that their upper ends extend through the lower apertures in shell A whenthe box-lid is closed, at which time plate D impinges against the vertically-slabbed side of theshell-rib d, the plate E being bent to form an angular notch h, in which said rib The plates are divergent at their upper ends and provided with openings with which to engage the strap or wire of an ordinary metallic seal F, as shown in Fig. 2.

From the foregoing it will be understood that when the box-lid is swung down the rib d of shell A. snaps into engagement with the notch 77. of the plate E, whereby said lid is antomatically fastened in closed position, after which the fastener may be sealed. The seal being absent, the plate E is sprung to have its notch it clear the shell-rib d when' it is desirable to raise the box-lid. The shell-rib d and the apertures parallel thereto are of such length that shrink or swell of the box-lid will not interfere with automatic fastening engagement of said rib and the bracket aforesaid when said lid is swung down, this being an important feature of my invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. A box-fastener comprising a dished shell attachable to a box-lid in register with an opening therein, the lower portion of the shell formed with a central rib, and a springbracket attachable to a box-wall in position to extend into said shell through openings in the same on opposite sides of the rib andhave snap engagement with the same when the box-lid is swung down. I

2. A boxfastener comprising a dished shell attachable to a box-lid in register with an opening therein, the lower portion of the shell formed with a central rib between apertures provided in said shell, and parallel springplates attachable at their lower ends to a boxwall in position to have diverging upper ends I thereof extend through the shell-apertures when the box-lid is swung down, one of the plates being bent to form a notch with which the shell-rib engages.

3. A box-fastener comprisinga dished shell attachable to a box-lid in register with an opening therein, the lower portion of the shell formed with a central rib ,between apertures provided in said shell, and parallel springplates attachable at their lower ends to a boX- Wall in position to have diverging upper ends thereof extend through the shell-apertures when the box-lid is swung down, one of the plates being bent to form a notch with which the shell-rib engages and both plates provided with upper-end openings for the engagement of the strap or wire of a metallic seal.

4. A box-fastener comprisinga dished shell attachable to a box-lid in register with an opening therein the lower portion of the shell formed with a central triangular rib between apertures provided in said shell, one edge of the rib being downward on a horizontal plane and one side of said rib vertically slabbed;

and parallel spring-plates attachable at their lower ends to a box-wall in postion to have their upper ends extend through the shellapertures when the box-lid is swung down, one of the plates being then in impingement against the slabbed side of the shell-rib and the other in notch fit on said .rib.

'5. A'box-fastener comprising a dished shell having a horizontal upper flange attachable to the under side of a box-lid, the wall of the shell being extended above said flange to form a stay-wall fitting an opening with which said lid is-provided, and a spring-bracket attachable to a box-wall in position to extend into said shell through openings on opposite sides of a central bottom rib of same and have snap engagement with the rib when the box-lid is swung down. I

In testimony that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto set my hand, at Milwaukee, in the county of Milwaukee and State of Wisconsin, in the presence of two witnesses.

CHARLES MANFIELD JOHNSON. Witnesses:

N. E. OLIPHANT, E. W. HELLER. 

